Constructive and destructive Waves of the same k vector, same frequency Superposition is just like adding two vectors , Constructive and destructive constructive destructive
Complex number Im Z = a + i b a = Re (z) b = Im (z) Z* = a - i b b z q Re a Add and subtract exponentials and trigonometric functions Plane waves, spherical waves
Waves of the same k vector, same frequency Example of a laser: Constructive interference: adding two co-propagating beams of amplitude The intensity in each beam is Incoherent sum: the total intensity is I = 2I0 Coherent constructive sum: the total intensity is I = 4I0 Coherent destructive sum: the total intensity is I = 0 What happened to energy conservation???
Waves of the same k vector, same frequency Energy conservation If the energy is lost by destructive interference, it has to reappear somewhere else by constructive interference A beam splitter is an element with a complex reflection coefficient and a complex transmission coefficient Incident intensity Reflected intensity Transmitted intensity Energy conservation:
Waves of the same k vector, same frequency Energy conservation If the energy is lost by destructive interference, it has to reappear somewhere else by constructive interference A beam splitter is an element with a complex reflection coefficient and a complex transmission coefficient Energy conservation:
Waves of the same k vector, same frequency Energy conservation Mach Zehnder: Michelson
Waves of the same k vector, same frequency Energy conservation Antiresonant ring